WELCOMING. GROWING. CONNECTING. SINCE 1866.

calloway's creation story

A few years ago, our pastor tasked us to think about who we are as a congregation. The same things kept coming up over and over: People always say they feel welcomed at our church. Our faith grows and grows, allowing us to change, take chances, do what’s right. We have been an integral part of our community for many years.

Thus the tagline, “Welcoming. Growing. Connecting. Since 1866,” was born. It is who our members, visitors, and neighbors say we are. This has been our core, our mission from the very beginning in 1866.

As the story goes, a small group of people residing in the Halls Hill, now High View Park, community began meeting for prayer service in a neighboring home as a way to develop their spiritual life together. As more people started attending the service, a need arose to build a church. Through great personal sacrifice, the people raised enough money to purchase land and build a church for the growing faith community.

The church was named in honor of one of the early pastors, Rev. Winston Calloway and has been a beacon of hope for over a century. It was at the forefront of social change, serving as a meeting place in the community’s efforts to fight for integration. It served as an auditorium for the John M. Langston School, hosting school plays and graduation ceremonies. It hosted and provided meals for those who attended the March on Washington.

Calloway continues this legacy by maintaining a strong presence in the community and embracing its vision of "Doing God's work everywhere and sharing God's love all the time.